After It All
by RavenWolf2089
Summary: After the rescue of the 47 things are supposed to get back to normal but Bellamy senses a undercurrent between Clarke and the others.


The 47 had been saved only a few days ago Clarke and Bellamy's alliance with the grounders moving swiftly to save them from the Mountain Men and put a halt to their actions in the area. In a clear example of the Grounders growing trust with the Arkers, or more likely Clarke really, they had allowed a compromise on the outcome of the Mountain Men. While it became known that everyone was aware of what was going on the cry for 'blood for blood' was limited to those who had practical knowledge of what happened. Dr. Tsing and Cage Wallace and numerous other medical staff were dragged to a brutal death by the Grounders and Clarke stood by and said nothing. President Wallace and Maya were left inside the mountain with a limited number of guards, most of who had been killed in the assault and a dwindling population, and even more limited technology. Nothing was left that could cause harm to the people outside, the acid fog machines for example were destroyed with a few well placed bombs by Raven.

Now they were back at what was being called 'Arkdown' with all 47 of them saved, even Harper none the worse for wear after the forced bone marrow transplant time and rest would fix her best. Surprisingly the remaining 100 had chosen to start their own little camp in the greater courtyard than integrate themselves in to Ark civilisation. Miller was one of the lucky few to have a parent in Alpha station, only four of the teenagers had been so lucky but even they and him had stayed where they were. They loved their parents but the time on the ground had moved them well away from needing parental guidance and most were too angry at the establishment to what to have much to do with anyone else.  
>Clarke more surprisingly had made the same choice and had moved with them to their spot near Raven's gate; it had been accepted by Chancellor Griffin, reluctantly to be fair, but still accepted. Major Byrne had not been as gracious, especially not when she figured out that they were using the gate to sneak out and disappear into the woods. They set up their own little community quickly and efficiently, a med tent included so Clarke could spend as little time in Medical as possible, before hunting for meat and furs that would keep them warm and fed through the winter, themselves first and then the Arkers . There was a slight pettiness in this Bellamy could admit to himself as co-leader of the 50 as they should now be called. Kane was pompous and domineering and if he could thumb his nose at him Bellamy was more than happy to do so.<p>

What Bellamy noticed though was Clarke's attitude change to the others. Octavia, Raven, Monty and Bellamy were being treated the same as ever before, but the others, Jasper in particular. She wasn't mean in any way or cruel but she was distant. Clarke had never been particularly buddy buddy with everyone so many were not notice the difference. Jasper knew though, and Miller also suspected it, Clarke was treating them different.

"Keep it clean and change the bandages before you go to bed" Clarke told Lewis as she cleaned her hands after fixing a large gash down his leg from a mishandled axe, she smiled tightly at the young 15 year old who nodded shyly before thanking her and limped off out of the large tent.

Leaning against one of the central posts Bellamy watched the blonde carefully as she bustled around her little kingdom cleaning things up quickly. The tent they put up was a very large rectangle that meant people could walk into upright and stand in the tent with its four beds. Bellamy had helped design it with Clarke to be exactly what they needed, using his axe to bring down trees for the posts.

"Last one for the day?" he asked her gruffly, making her jump and turn to him with a mock glare. "I wasn't exactly hiding Princess" he drawled motioning to his place near the entrance.

"I'm distracted" she admitted with a smile that made his own face open up with the half smile that made her knees weak. It always made her think about the first time he had grinned at her properly when she was suffering from hemorrhagic fever and her quip had made him smile at her, the side of his mouth curling up into a real smile as he looked down and away from her, almost nervous to show her that she had made him smile. "Yes, last patient for the day" she finally answered, now drying her hands.

"Good, come" he mock ordered before pulling her out gently to the fire pit everyone crowded around at night. Monty having reclaimed his still after his return pressed a new batch into her hand as Jasper helped to hand out the rest to the others. It was a conscious decision by Monty to keep Jasper and Clarke away until their balance was realigned with each other. Bellamy taking a seat next to Clarke caught the look the Asian threw the re-googled teen before taking his own drink from Monty.

The gathering wasn't quite a party but wasn't really quiet either, people drifted back and forth between groups of people and the food buffet that had been set up. Clarke and Bellamy stayed put though, talking quietly with each other and others if and when they joined the leaders. The two leaders were much closer now, they still fought like cats and dogs when Bellamy's gut reactions clashed with Clarke's thought-out process. After a few drinks Clarke begged off staying later by leaving for her own cosy tent and bed with a escort in Bellamy.

After seeing his Princess into her tent and after she had assured him that she would try and actually sleep Bellamy walked back into the crowd and gripped Monty by the shoulder suddenly before hauling him away from everyone.

"HEY!" he protested as he was manhandled away from his best friend and Raven to a quiet section of the 100's courtyard.

"Clarke, Jasper. Talk" Bellamy ordered succinctly, earning himself nothing but a quizzical look for his efforts. "What is happening between Clarke and Jasper, and the others to?"

"Oh um..." Monty hawed before swallowing thickly at the death glare he received from Bellamy. "I think...I think Clarke is feeling uncomfortable for how people reacted in Mount Weather."

"How did people react in Mount Weather?" Bellmay growled, inexplicably growing angry that the 47 had hurt Clarke when she was the only leader with them in Mount Weather.

"They were happy" Monty replied helplessly "they didn't like that she was picking holes..."

"In their little paradise, the one that ended up being led by a bunch of sociopathic vampires who were draining people upside down" Bellamy finished for him bitingly, his jaw tightening in anger as his fists clenched automatically. "Everyone was like that? Other than you"

Monty nodded miserably staring at his boots.

"Miller? Harper? Lewis? Sammy?"

"Good food and clean clothes" Monty explained helplessly "they wanted to stay and they felt like Clarke was deliberately trying to break that for them."

"Yeah, cos that sounds exactly like Clarke" Bellamy drawled sarcastically in the face of Monty's desperate attempt to explain everyone's actions. "Doesn't explain one thing Monty"

"What?"

"Why didn't you do the same? I can tell you why, because you trust Clarke. If she says something is wrong you know that she really believes that."

Dejected Monty nodded again before walking away from the fuming Bellamy, who with his eyes wild with anger turned to glare at the teenagers carousing and socialising around the fire. He was almost shaking with anger at the idea that those he and Clarke had worked to save so many times failed her at the first hint of an easier life.

"Bell?" Octavia appeared at his side; she had been outside to see Lincoln and just entered through Raven's gate.

"They failed her O" he told her slowly. "Clarke has been off with everyone because they treated her like crap when she needed them most." Not giving her enough chance to answer Bellamy stalked off through the crowd to his own tent next to Clarke's.

The next few days were almost like the first few days on earth again to the 100, Bellamy was in bad mood that they hadn't seen in a while, he was on top of everyone especially Miller and Jasper who he felt should have done better. He was there ordering them to hurry up, to work faster as they started on cabins, to do the worst chores and run them ragged in hunting, which at least had a added benefit of producing food for the rest of the Arker's as well.

Clarke only became aware of it as the number of minor injuries increased and more and more people turned up for treatment. Around her Bellamy was his usual self, argumentative when needed and more open with her when she asked a question but he still brushed off any questions about his mood. When she questioned Octavia and Raven about Bellamy's actions she was given the run around as well.

It was later that week when having enough of stitching avoidable wounds she tracked Bellamy down in his tent. "What is going on?" she demanded standing in front of the exit so the annoying shirtless Bellamy couldn't leave "you are acting like a bear with a sore head."

"Not now Princess" he growled.

"Yes now" Clarke stepped towards him hands on her hip, blue eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm the one stitching everyone up. Why are you angry at them!?"

Bellamy gritted his teeth and his jaw flexed as he looked up at the blonde who was standing very close to him now, his hands were laced together hanging in the gap between his legs as he sat on his bed. He was stuck between reaching for her and pulling her down under him on his bed and yelling at her that she wasn't standing up for herself to those who had broken their trust. Yes their trust, they were a team. Since she had saved his life from Dax their bond had only grown to where they worked in sync to do what had to be done to protect their family.

"Bellamy!" Clarke was almost tempted to stomp her foot as her friend did nothing but stare at her with his jaw flexing in the way that made her want nothing but to launch herself at him and kiss down that strong jaw line.

"Princess...Clarke" he started desperately. "I'm...why aren't you angrier?" he asked finally, he couldn't understand why she wasn't raging against those who had broke her trust that the only representation of her anger was her distance from those she called her friends.

"At what?" Clarke replied slowly sinking to her knees in front of Bellamy as he looked at the floor, carefully she reached out and placed her hand on one her knees and the other to lift his chin.

"At them" he gestured to outside the tent "at Jasper, Miller and the others, those who didn't trust you when you said that something was wrong with the bastards in Mount Weather, you risked your life for them all and they left you hanging out to dry."

"Oh Bell" Clarke sighed realising the root of his frustration and moving the hand from his chin to smooth it back along his jaw line and in to the short hairs at the back of his neck. "I am angry. But I also understand where they are coming from."

Reaching out with his own hands Bellamy swept one thumb under her glittering eyes that had filled with tears at the realisation that he was angry for her, the other reaching around to rest on her back.

"They wanted it to work so desperately that my 'trouble-making' was seen as a risk to the easy life that they were being offered."

"They should have trusted you! Like I would have trusted you"

"They aren't you Bell! You have reasons to trust me"

"So do they" he insisted fiercely "you've saved them all at one time or another."

"You are different" Clarke insisted again, wondering if he was going to make her explain why he was different, if he was going to make them vocalise the connection between them finally.

"Just because I love you doesn't mean they shouldn't trust you as much as I do" Bellamy admitted the tightly held secret as if it was the easiest thing to do in the world. His hand cradling her face as if it was made of precious porcelain, using his thumb again to wipe away her tear as her mouth dropped open in shock. "I almost lost you Princess" he whispered "there was no way I wasn't going to tell you sooner rather than later."

Clarke let out a sharp breath of air that was almost a laugh before leaning forward to press her lips to his, she couldn't say it back yet and she knew instinctively that he understood that, but he didn't push her away. Instead he pulled her close with the hand on her back, pulling her up and over him to lie next to each other on his bed their feet tangled together and hands together between them. They didn't speak about Clarke and the others anymore; instead they murmured words to each other about their growth of the connection and shared gentle simple kisses that were fraught with meaning before falling asleep together.


End file.
